AhlulBayt News Agency: A new Gallup survey, which annually measures American public attitudes toward countries around the world, revealed that for the first time since 2001, most Americans feel greater sympathy for Palestinians than for Israelis.
The survey authors noted that although the gap—41% of Americans compared to 36%—is not statistically significant, it still reflects a significant decline from Israel’s advantage just one year ago, when 46% felt more sympathy for Israelis compared to 33% for Palestinians.
Additionally, the survey confirmed that between 2001 and 2025, Israel consistently maintained a significant lead in American public sympathy, a gap that has now reversed.
The institute stated: “American public opinion on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has flipped over the past twelve months, so that for the first time since 2001, Americans no longer prefer Israelis over Palestinians.”
This shift is reflected across all age groups. Furthermore, reports indicate that 57% of Americans now support the establishment of a Palestinian state.
According to the institute, much of this shift is due to the position of “independents,” who declare no affiliation with either the Republican or Democratic parties. This shift is seen across all age groups. Additionally, 57% of Americans now support the establishment of a Palestinian state.
The results of the current survey reflect how support for Israel has become a deeply contentious issue in the United States, with serious implications for U.S. foreign policy. Democratic supporters played a significant role in this shift in public opinion, as they tend to feel greater sympathy for Palestinians.
Gallup data indicate that this change occurred even before the October 7 massacre and increased during the Israeli fighting with Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Due to potential sampling error, a Gallup official stated: “This is the first time public opinion has reached parity. In just a few years, this large gap in public opinion has completely diminished.”
About two-thirds of Democrats now express greater concern for Palestinians, while only two out of ten feel greater sympathy for Israelis. By 2016, the situation was very different: about half of Democrats felt more sympathy for Israelis, while only about a quarter felt greater sympathy for Palestinians.
Part of the decline in support for Israel is likely linked to dissatisfaction with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whose popularity in the United States fell by roughly 15% between 2017 and 2024. Prominent confrontations between Netanyahu and former Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden, among other factors, contributed to Netanyahu’s declining standing, and consequently to decreased sympathy for Israel.
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